Student complaints rise sharply

"Student complaints about universities have risen by a third in the last year and will rocket next year when tuition fees rise to up to £9,000, a watchdog has warned.

"The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), which handles complaints from students at universities in England and Wales, said the near-trebling of fees would mean students will increasingly view themselves as consumers and be keener to insist on value for money.

"For the first time this year, the watchdog has also named two universities - Southampton and Westminster - for breaking official rules on how to handle students' complaints."